


Valentine's Day

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Spooning, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-31
Updated: 2013-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-27 15:24:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/663547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Valentine's Day is a stupid holiday about love.  It's no fun if you're single."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

“What is Valentine’s Day?” Castiel asks Dean as they steer the cart down an aisle full of various candies in shiny red and pink packaging.

“It’s a stupid holiday about love,” Dean grumbles and tosses bag after bag of sweets into the cart. “It’s no fun if you’re single.”

The hunter hates the holiday. He’s hated it more or less his entire life. Nothing good ever comes of Valentine’s Day for Dean or Sam. Just another day in the life for them, like Christmas and birthdays.

“I thought love was a good thing.” Castiel tilts his head, eyebrows scrunched together.

“It is, if you’ve got someone _to_ love.” Dean rolls his eyes and throws more candy into the cart. He doesn’t look at Castiel in hopes that the angel will stop asking questions.

That, of course, would be too easy.

“Do you love someone, Dean?” Castiel stops and looks at the hunter with question in his eyes.

“That’s none of your business.” Dean tosses a bag of conversation hearts into the cart and sighs. “Yeah, I do. But I don’t know if they love me back. Why? Do you love someone?”

“Yes, but I don’t know if they love me back.” Castiel stares at Dean intently before moving along the aisle.

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation in the middle of a grocery store,” Dean mutters. He won’t look at Cas and tries not to think about him. The last thing he needs is for the angel to get inside his thoughts. But he can’t help but wonder by the way Cas was staring if the angel was talking about him.

They continue through the store, uncomfortable in silence and too uncomfortable to keep talking. Dean’s mind races with possibilities. He’d only been in love once, and it didn’t end well. It never does, he thinks. So there’s really no point in falling love.

“What does love feel like?” Cas asks after they make it down two more aisles.

“I’m really not the person to be asking that question,” Dean says, and tosses two bags of plain chips on the pile of everything else. He stares at the pile for a second before throwing in another bag. “That should do it. Let’s go pay and get back to the motel. Sam’s probably waiting for us.”

Fifteen minutes, three bags of chips, seven bags of gummies, two bags of chocolates, a bag of taffy, a bag of conversation hearts, and almost fifty dollars later, the two head back to the motel. Dean makes a stop for dinner, too, just in case he’s not the only one who’s hungry.

Castiel stares out the window the entire trip back to the room where Sam and Dean are staying and doesn’t say anything. He’s too busy thinking. How could he reveal himself like that? There’s no way Dean will ever love him back. He loves women. Cas knows because he’s seen the women Dean looks at on the computer, and he is certainly not one of them.

“You’ve been awful quiet,” Dean says when they’re almost back. He turns to look at Castiel. “You alright?”

Cas sighs and looks at Dean briefly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… thinking.”

If Dean suspects that Cas is lying, he doesn’t show it. He just pulls the Impala into the motel lot and turns her off in front of their room. The awkwardness rolling off of Cas is bothering him, but he shrugs it off and carries the bags of treats inside to Sam.

Castiel follows Dean into the room and settles himself on the bed. Sam can tell by the way he isn’t speaking that something is wrong with the angel, but says nothing even as Cas picks at loose threads in his trench coat. It’s obvious the angel doesn’t want to talk about whatever’s on his mind.

“Sam, I must ask you a question,” Cas says after the other two have finished their dinner. “What does love feel like?”

“Mostly it’s a giant pain in the ass,” Sam says. “Why?”

“I’m simply curious.” Castiel returns to his trench coat threads, trying to sort out his thoughts. If love is a good thing, why is it a giant pain in the ass? And if it is a giant pain in the ass like Sam said, how does that make it a good thing?

“Awww, does Cas love somebody?” Sam grins.

Castiel blushes as red as the packages of candy he helped Dean haul back. “Yes.” He looks down at the ground when he says it, quiet and awkward. He avoids looking at Dean for fear he might give himself away.

“Who? Tell us!”

“It is not of import.”

Dean, who’s been quiet the whole time, tears into a bag of chips. “Don’t worry, Sammy. He wouldn’t tell me either.” He shoves a handful of chips into his mouth and crunches.

“Well, I’m going to find out.” Sam puts that determined look on his face, the one that means nothing can stop him until he finds out.

Castiel looks at Sam, horror evident in his features. He shakes his head once, no. “I said it isn’t important.” But he betrays himself by flicking his eyes in Dean’s direction.

The younger Winchester’s eyes go wide and he tilts his head, silently questioning if Cas is telling the truth or not. He looks at Dean and then back at Cas and he raises his eyebrows. “Dean?” he mouths, and when the angel blushes and looks away he knows it’s the truth.

“You know you guys can talk,” Dean says through a mouthful of half-chewed potatoes.

“No we can’t,” Sam and Cas say together.

“Geez, are you two on the same cycle now?” Dean shoves more chips into his mouth and turns on the TV. “I need something to distract myself from the silence.”

“What do you mean, the same cycle?” Castiel asks, oblivious to the human terms.

“Nothing, he’s just being an ass,” Sam says and rolls his eyes. “You want to come with me and get some coffee?”

Cas nods and jumps to his feet. “Sure. I would love to go.” He’s not sure he can handle being alone with Dean without doing anything that might make the hunter hate him for the rest of eternity. Maybe the fresh air will help clear his thoughts.

“You want anything, Dean?” Sam slings his jacket over his shoulders and pats his butt for his wallet.

“Usual.” Dean shoves more chips into his mouth, not looking away from the television.

“We’ll be back then.” 

Sam and Castiel exit the room. They don’t speak until they’re out of the motel parking lot in case Dean happens to be listening. That conversation is something that has to wait.

“So. Dean, huh?” Sam asks after they turn to go down to the coffee stand.

“Yes,” Castiel says. “I don’t believe he knows.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

Cas stops and stares at Sam in disbelief. “I can’t tell him. He’d hate me.”

“How do you know that?” Sam joins the end of the line at the coffee stand.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the women he looks at on the computer.”

Sam just laughs. “That doesn’t mean anything, Cas. Everybody does that.” Except Sam, of course, because that just isn’t his thing. Internet porn isn’t for everybody. But he doesn’t say anything.

Castiel scowls at the ground. “He told me he already loves somebody,” he says quietly, and he doesn’t speak again for a long while. He doesn’t answer Sam’s questions until the question is whether he wants coffee or not. “I’ll have what Dean is having.”

The angel fidgets with his loose threads again while Sam orders a Triple Red Eye and two black coffees, dark roast please. He has it worked almost completely loose by the time their drinks are finished, but his thoughts are no clearer. They’re still a tangle of negativity that won’t straighten out no matter what he does.

Cas sips the coffee Sam put in his hands. It’s bitter, like nothing he’s ever tasted before. It burns his throat as it goes down. But it tastes good. It’s no wonder the humans love the stuff. He drinks more and it gradually makes him feel better.

“So, how would I tell Dean?” he asks quietly.

Sam stops in the middle of the parking lot to think. A lot of ideas run through his mind, but there’s one small problem. He doesn’t know who his brother loves.

“Let me talk to Dean first, find out a few things,” Sam says. “Then we’ll go from there.”

“Okay. Thank you, Sam.” Cas gulps down the rest of his coffee and tosses the empty cup in a trash can outside the room where the brothers are staying.

-

“Hey, Dean,” Sam says after Cas falls asleep. “Can I talk to you about something?”

Dean, who is still busy watching TV and shoveling potato chips into his mouth, rolls his eyes and looks at his brother. “Does this have to do with you and Cas being on the same cycle?”

Sam laughs. “No, not really. But he told me that you told him that you love somebody.”

The elder Winchester returns to the television with a huff. “Yeah, I’m sure he did. And I’m sure he also said I wouldn’t tell him who it was.”

“And?”

“And what?” Dean looks back at his brother.

“And I wanna know who it is.” Sam shrugs.

“I can’t tell you right now.” And Dean’s right. He can’t tell his brother he’s in love with the angel on the sofa who is probably not as asleep as everybody thinks he is. He can’t tell Sam because Cas will hear. And Cas can’t possibly love him back anyways because angels don’t have feelings. Then there’s also the problem of Sam doesn’t know Dean digs guys, too.

“Besides, it’s none of your business anyways.”

“Dean, please? Just tell me. It’s not like I’m gonna tell anybody.”

“Yes, you will!” Dean hisses. “I know you will. Wanna know how I know?”

Sam gives Dean his best ‘try me’ face. “Yeah, tell me how you know.”

“Okay, look. If this changes your opinion of me or anything, then tough. I’m saying it anyways.” Dean runs his hand through his hair, then over his face. Delaying. He never thought he’d actually have to say this to his brother. Then he inhales a deep breath. “Okayhe’slayingrightoverthere. I said it.”

Sam’s eyes go wide again. “Whoa. Say that again? I didn’t quite catch it.”

Dean just raises an unamused eyebrow and looks at the not-exactly-sleeping angel. “I hope you got it that time, because I’m not saying it again.”

The older of the two goes back to skulking on the couch in front of the television. Sam, on the other hand, grins into the dark and begins to plan.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe it isn't so stupid after all.

Cas wakes up from his non-sleep after he’s absolutely sure Dean is asleep. Sam gets up and sits next to the angel, laptop in tow. He opens a word document and types.

_So, I talked to Dean today._ Sam places the computer in Castiel’s lap.

_do you think I should tell him_ It takes Cas three tries to figure out how to make the keys work, but he manages and passes back to Sam. He gives no indication whether he heard the earlier conversation or not.

_Not yet, but I have an idea._ Sam grins, his features illuminated by the glow of the laptop screen in the otherwise dark room. _We’ll have to go buy some things first, though,_ he tacks on.

Castiel tilts his head like a dog trying to understand its owner. _buy some things_ he types, then adds _like what_

_You’ll just have to trust me. I know what I’m doing._

_I trust you and will do whatever you say to do_ Cas nods and gives the hunter his laptop.

Sam yawns and scratches his head, glancing at the time. He snaps the lid of the laptop down. “Well, I’m gonna turn in for the night. We’ll talk some more in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Sam.”

The hunter makes his way to his bed, stopping to put his laptop on the table. He takes much longer to fall asleep than Dean. Two hours pass before his breathing finally evens out.

Then Cas is alone because angels don’t need to sleep. He remembers the time Dean told him it was creepy to watch people while they’re asleep, so he curls up back on the sofa and stares at the wall. The last thing he wants is to creep Dean out.

\--

Dean wakes up alone in the late morning. There’s a note on the stand between the beds. _Out with Cas. Be back later. Sammy._ Dean shrugs and goes back to sleep.

\--

Sam drags Castiel down the men’s row of clothing at the store. They go past the shirts and jeans and stop at the holiday underwear.

“I don’t understand,” Cas says. “Why do I need these?”

“It’s all part of the plan.” Sam grins. “You said you’d trust me no matter what.”

The long haired hunter selects a pair of red and black boxers littered with hearts and holds the to Castiel’s hips for size. Too small. He tries the next size up. They’re the closest fit. But they come with a pair of handcuffs and a blindfold.

“Are those necessary?” Castiel asks. He’s seen them used on women before in the same clips Dean watches on the internet.

“You don’t have to use them. They’re just part of the package.”

“What else do we need?”

Sam looks down at the list he wrote on his hand. “Let’s see… Got that, got that, got those, and those. That leaves candy and flowers.”

“Dean likes candy,” Cas says. “I don’t know about flowers, though.”

Sam knows about Dean and flowers. He tells Cas not to worry as he takes the angel to the candy aisle to pick Dean’s favorites. They pick out three bags of mini-chocolates before going to the flowers. They get a lot of awkward stares from the other people, but Sam uses his size to intimidate them into submission. Cas is completely oblivious.

They go to pay for everything and get even more awkward looks. Castiel stares at the cashier while she passes the items over the scanner. She keeps her gaze down.

“Cas, you’re staring,” Sam mutters. “Quit.”

“Sorry.” Castiel averts his eyes from the woman.

Sam pays for everything and they leave. Castiel doesn’t talk while Sam explains the rest of the plan, just nods. It’s quite the plan, right down to the last bitty detail. Pretty much Sam is going to get Cas his own room for the holiday, and that’s all he’ll say for now. Other than the part where Cas has to change into the holiday underwear just in case and keep the other things with him. “Be ready by seven,” is the last thing Sam says before they get back to the motel.

Dean is still in bed when the hunter and the angel return. Sam pulls Cas out of the room and back to the lobby. They order a room for one, and Cas goes there and does everything Sam said to do. Sam goes back to his room to wait for Dean to wake up.

“Where’s Cas?” is the first thing out of the hunter’s mouth.

“He had to leave,” Sam says. “He didn’t say when he’d be back. You’ve got somewhere to be at seven, by the way.”

Dean’s eyes go wide. “What? I do?” He wipes his face with his hand and looks at the clock. It’s already after three.

“Somebody at the store wants to take you on a date tonight for Valentine’s Day,” Sam says and shrugs. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Didn’t think I’d…” Dean makes a disgusted noise. “Of course I mind!” He throws the sheets off and stomps to the bathroom. “All I wanted was to spend the holiday with Cas, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Instead, I get to go on a blind date because you didn’t ask! Can I cancel?”

Sam gives his brother an incredulous look. “No, you can’t cancel! I said you’d show.” He blows out a breath. “Look. I probably should have asked. But you’ve at least got to give it a shot. I understand that you’re pissed…”

“I’m not pissed!” Dean shouts. “Just hurt.” He stays in the bathroom for a long time. When he comes out, he’s still surrounded by a wave of anger, but he’s a lot calmer than when he went in. “Do I need to wear anything special? Whole flowers and  
chocolates thing?”

“No,” Sam says. “Just go and be yourself.”

It’s after five when Dean finally sits down. He flicks on the television, but all that’s on is Hallmark chick-flicks that he’s so against. Sam raises an eyebrow when Dean leaves it on. “Shut up,” Dean says. “I need to get in the right zone for a date.”

“Are you going to shower before you go?”

Dean gives his brother an unamused look. “Do I have to?”

“It would probably be nice.” Sam shrugs.

The elder Winchester sniffs himself. “Mneh. I think I’m good.” And he goes back to watching television.

Sam stays on his computer the entire time. He’s trying to calm himself because he has no idea if his plan is going to work or not. At least Dean doesn’t know his blind date is actually the angel he’s in love with.

Six pm rolls around, and both boys are still in the same places. The Hallmark movie is still on, but Dean isn’t watching. He’s staring blankly at the wall.

“You should start doing any last minute things about now,” Sam says, not looking up from the screen. “If you have anything, anyway.”

Dean rolls out of the bed and goes to his bag. He digs out a new t-shirt to change into. “Now, where exactly am I supposed to be going?”

“Room 237, upstairs.” Sam points upward.

“She’s here in this hotel?”

Sam doesn’t mention that it’s not she, but he. If he does, it might give it away. “Yeah.”

“And you didn’t bother to tell me?”

“I did just tell you.”

Dean shucks his layers of shirts and pulls on the new one. Then he re-layers the two flannels and his leather jacket. “Am I allowed to be early?” Not that he wants to be early. Of course not. The faster this whole mess is over with.

“No. I said you’d be there at seven. Too early will look desperate.”

Dean rolls his eyes again. “Thank you, Doctor Love.” He paces across the floor, stopping every few laps to check his reflection, which doesn’t change except for his anxiety-laden eyes.

“Dude. Calm down.” Sam closes his laptop.

But Dean can’t calm down. The last thing he can think to do is calm down. This is as bad as the times he had to fly. Except there’s no plane, and no flying. It’s just a date, he tells himself. Just a date.

“Are you sure I don’t need flowers?” he asks for the third time.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Sam says. “Now stop freaking out. It’s just a date.”

Dean wants to fire back, “With someone I’ve never met!” but bites his tongue.

“You’ve got five minutes to get there, so go.” Sam all but pushes his brother out the door.

Dean’s shaking by the time he makes it upstairs to room 237. He wishes he knew what to expect, but Sam being Sam was cryptic about the whole damn thing. Hopefully it was at least someone decent.

He raises his hand to knock on the door, but he doesn’t knock immediately. Thousands of thoughts work through his head before he finally reforms his fist and strikes.

Several long seconds pass where Dean rocks on his heels with his hands behind his back. There’s the sound of footsteps toward the door, then the sound of the lock opening.

The door swings open to reveal not a woman, but Castiel. Dean closes his mouth with his hand. “Cas?”

Castiel is standing with a bouquet of purple flowers in his hands. He holds them out to Dean with a smile. “Hello, Dean.”

“Cas?” Dean says again. He blinks, but Cas remains.

How on Earth did Sam manage this? And more importantly, is it some kind of sick joke? It would be just like Sam…

But Castiel only invites him in instead of laughing and slamming the door in his face. “This isn’t a joke,” he says. “It’s real.”

“Cas.” Dean grins, then grabs the angel by the lapels of his trench coat and kisses him. He nearly crushes the purple flowers, but takes them out of Castiel’s hand so he doesn’t. It takes three tries to kick the door closed behind him. How the hell do they make it look so easy in the movies?

They stand there, holding each other for what feels like eternity. Then they separate and just grin at each other.

“So, I was the one you wouldn’t tell me about?” Dean asks, putting his hands on Castiel’s face.

“I couldn’t tell how you would react. I didn’t want you to hate me.” Cas puts his hands over Dean’s and closes his eyes.

“Cas, I could never hate you. Ever. Not in a million years.”

Castiel looks down, blushing. He takes Dean’s hands off his cheeks and slots his fingers in the empty spaces between Dean’s. “I’ve dreamed of this day,” he says and looks back up at the hunter, his impossibly blue eyes full of love.

“So have I, Cas.” In fact, Dean’s lost count of times he’s imagined this. It was a different place every time, and never the same place twice. And now that it’s finally happening, Dean can’t help but hyperventilate. He doesn’t want to ruin the moment he’s dreamed of for years.

“I love you, Castiel.” Dean squeezes the angel’s hands.

“I love you, too, Dean Winchester.” Cas squeezes back. He leans forward to kiss Dean again. “Come on. Let’s go celebrate.” Cas leads Dean to the bed.

“Don’t you think that’s rushing things a bit?” Dean asks, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t want to watch a movie?” Cas blinks. “I picked your favorite.”

“Oh. I thought you meant… well, never mind what I thought. Let’s watch this movie.”

Cas and Dean settle themselves under the covers on the bed in the motel room. Sam had already set up the movie, so all Cas had to do was push play. Dean hesitantly snuggles up to the angel, who puts his arm around the hunter’s shoulders.

“I have chocolate, too, if you’d like to eat it while we watch.” Castiel snaps the bags of mini-chocolates from their place across the room and offers them to Dean.

“Only if you’ll share them with me,” Dean says. He offers the first piece to the angel.

Neither of the two really watch the movie. They’re too busy enjoying each other’s company and eating candy. And Dean’s seen it like, a hundred times. He practically has it memorized.

Sometimes they share the same piece of chocolate, biting off at the same time. Mostly it’s just an excuse for Dean to kiss Castiel and act exactly like the romantic goofball he’s so adamant against being.

“So, we’ve done everything besides actually getting together and having sex,” Dean says after the movie ends. “Will you be mine, Cas?”

“If you’ll be mine, Dean.” Castiel grins before kissing the hunter again.

Dean snuggles even closer to Cas, working his way into big spoon position. “I’m not little spoon,” he laughs.

“Little spoon?” Cas scrunches his eyebrows all confused.

“Yeah. Little spoon is where you are. I’m big spoon because I’ve got my arms around you.”

“I can deal with that.” Castiel presses his back against Dean’s chest. “Do you still think Valentine’s Day is a stupid holiday?”

“Now that I have you? No.”


End file.
